Merchandise vending equipment



Jan. 7, 1969 sc 3,420,591

MERCHANDISE VENDING EQUIPMENT Filed May 23. 1967 Sheet of 2 g Y I INVENTOR. M flam/d/IZ J'ckaef.

KZ/WX Atty Jan. 7, 1969 1 H. M. SCHAEF MERCHANDISE VENDING EQUIPMENT Sheet INVENTORQ fiaraZd/Y 52)? Filed May 23. 1967 WK /w! A y gm United States Patent 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Merchandise vending equipment having a plurality of coin controlled vending machines mounted on the door of a cabinet so as to be enclosed in the cabinet when the door is closed and readily available for servicing when the door is open.

The invention relates to improvements in vending equipment and is more particularly concerned with the mounting of a plurality of merchandise vending machines on the inside face of the door of a cabinet with their controls accessible on the outside thereof. When the door is closed, the machines are enclosed within the cabinet. When the door is in open position, the merchandise hoppers of the vending machines are fully exposed to facilitate their :being filled with merchandise and the coin receiving trays, contained in the cabinet, are readily accessible for coin removal. This is advantageous in tliat when a bank of conventional machines are arranged on a rack or stand, as is common practice, servicing of the machines requires that a cover on each merchandise hopper must be individually removed to permit refilling of the hoppers. Also, the coin receivers of each machine must be individually unlocked to permit coin removal. The present assembly permits all of the machines to be serviced and coins removed by the simple expedient of unlocking the door and swinging it into open position.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a merchandise vending equipment of the character referred to.

Another object is to provide a cabinet of a type having a swinging door mounting a plurality of merchandise vending machines.

Another object is to provide novel means for mounting a merchandise vending machine on the door of a cabinet.

Another object is to provide equipment of the character referred to which is not expensive or difficult to manufacture and assemble, and one that is easily serviceable and very efiicient in use.

The structure by means of which the above noted objects and advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet mounting a plurality of coin controlled merchandise vending machines.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the door closed.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the upper half of the cabinet, taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the cabinet door in a partially open position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the exemplary disclosure of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, a plurality of merchandise vending machines, generally indicated at 11, are mounted on each of the doors 12 normally closing the open front of a cabinet 13. Although two doors are illustrated, it will be evident that a single door or more than the two shown may be provided depending upon the size of the cabinet. The vending machines illustrated are alike although they may be made to vary in merchandise capacity by increasing the size of the merchandise hoppers thereof.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each door 12 mounts three merchandise vending machines 11 arranged side by side. The door 12 is provided in its upper portion with a transparent panel 14 and it has three substantially square openings in its lower portion each to receive thereover a vending machine control mechanism mounting plate 15.

Longitudinally spaced apart and secured firmly to the back surface of the door 12 are a plurality of straplike horizontal brackets 16. These brackets function to support merchandise hoppers .17 which are substantially square in horizontal outline and which include a base frame or casting 18 having a vending opening 19 in its bottom. The opening 19 is fitted with conventional merchandise vending or discharge mechanism 20 of a type that is actuated when related coin control mechanism carried by mounting plate 15 is actuated. The hoppers 17 are slidingly telescoped between adjacent brackets 16 in a manner to locate the side margins or flanges 21 of the base frame 18 seated thereon as best shown in FIG. 5. A clamp bracket 22, secured to the strap bracket 16 as by a screw 23, secures the hopper assembly in place behind the transparent panel 14. Each hopper 17 preferably has a false front defined by a front wall 17a and side flanges 17b which define a display receptacle for receiving sample merchandise for display through the transparent panel 14-. For appearance sake, the areas of the transparent panel between adjacent hoppers 17 is coated with an opaque material 24 (FIG. 2) thus affording the appearance of separate panels.

As noted thereinabove, the door 12 carries coin control mechanism mounting plates 15, one associated with each hopper. As best shown in FIG. 1, this plate has a coin receiving slot 25, and mounts a discharge spout 26 and an operating handle 27. The operating handle is suitably connected with the merchandise discharge mechanism in the hopper assembly by gears 28. Because this operative connection is conventional, it is not illustrated in detail. It is sufiicient to note however, that when a coin of the proper denomination is deposited in the coin slot 25, the operating handle 27 is unlocked and may :be rotated to cause vending of merchandise. Such merchandise falls through the vending opening 19 onto a trough 29 (FIG. 3) mounted on the door, for delivery to spout 26 from which it may be removed by the customer. The coin will drop down into a coin tray 31 seated on a shelf 32 provided in the cabinet.

It is essential to note that the hoppers 17 are not provided with individual covers, their contents being protected from pilferage by the fact that the hoppers are inclosed within the cabinet when the door is closed.

-.In order to service the vending machines, all that is required is that the door 12 be unlocked, a look 33 being provided for this purpose, and then swung into open position. All of the hoppers 17 carried thereby are thus fully exposed and their contents may be replenished easily and quickly. Also, when the door is open, the coin trays 31 are exposed and coins may then be removed. Should needed repairs, or some other reason, require replace ment of a merchandise hopper, screws 23 may be removed or loosened and the hoppers slid out. A coin control mechanism mounting plate 15 may also be easily removed by removal of its mounting screws 34.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

1. A vending machine assembly comprising, a cabinet open on its front side, a door normally closing said front side, a plurality of spaced apart brackets mounted firmly on the inside surface of said door and projecting rearwardly therefrom, merchandise hoppers seated on related pairs of brackets, means detachably securing said hoppers to said related brackets, means in each hopper to vend merchandise therefrom, and a plurality of coin controlled mechanisms and mounted on said door and operably connected one to each vending means.

2. The vending machine recited in claim 1, in which each hopper is open on its top side.

3. The vending machine recited in claim 1, in which each hopper has a base flange which is seated on the related pair of brackets.

4. The vending machine recited in claim 3, in which means securing the hoppers to the related pairs of brackets is engaged with said base flange.

5. The vending machine recited in claim. 1, in which separate coin receiving trays are provided for each coin controlled mechanism.

6. The vending machine recited in claim 1, in which a plurality of dispensing chutes are carried by the door each disposed to receive merchandise vended from a related hopper.

7. The vending machine recited in claim 6, in which the dispensing chutes are integral one with each coin controlled mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 806,659 12/1905 Hall et a1 .4. 31242 1,621,971 3/1927 Curtis 3l2l21 XR 2,906,578 9/1959 Sessions 312-329 XR BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

J. L. IQOHNEN, Assistant Examiner. 

